Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-11
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
Senate.

u D
Senate.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 10.-The senate pro
ceeded TO the consideration of the inter
state commerce bill and was addressed by
Mr. Beck III favor Of the adoption of the
conference report. That report he said
(Which must be either adopted or rejected
as a whole presented the issue fairly be-
tween those who believed the great inter
state railways were and, of right ought to
be, subject to law, ard those who thought
that they ought 10 be law unto them
selves. no bill could he framed which the
railroad advocates would not oppose He
believed that the country would accept the
bill as an honest, earnest effort TO break up
a system of favoritism and cXtOrtion which
some railroad managers had exercised and
maintained for the last twenty Years
He read from book on The Railroads
Of the Republic" by j. F. Hudson. a chap
ter upon the history of the Standard Oil
Co which Is represented as having in eigh-
teen months received from the railroad
companies rebates amounting 10 ten mill
ion dollars, and having thus crushed out
all competition in the oil trade. iio com
mended that chapter TO those boards Of
trades and chambers Of commerce that
were now 50 earnestly protesting against
the passage Of this BILL and he asserted
that if the facts therein stated were laid be
fore any commercial body in America not
one of them would vote any Continuance
under such monstrOus OutragcS. lie de
Cared that rot only the commerce of the
country, but the fortunes Of all engaged III
it were al the mercy Of a few railroad mag
mates; vet congress was lead by boards Of
TRADE, protesting to be guardians Of
commerce, 10 believe that il
would ruin the country If
il would prevent determinations, rebates
and draw bucks. He new of 30 higher uvi
dencc of the cmnipoience of these railroad
people han their ability 10 obtain from any
respectable board of trade such resolutions
as were daily sent to senators urging them
not 10 interior with railroad despotism.
The great fundamental principle which
the passage Of this bill would establish was
that congress not only proposed hereafter
TO regulate interstate commerce, but The
carriers of it, and compel them to do equal
and exact Justice 10 all persons dealing
with them The original bill had passed
the senate last session, and had passed the
house by a vote Of 1872 to Il and now when
that the c0nfercs of both houses had
agreed uron this bill, it seemed to him that
it ought to become law No man could
justify the conduct of many great railroad
corporations in the treatment in the vast
interests cGntided TO their care and man
agement
He referred to the anthracite coal pool
as "a specimen combination against public
interests and stated the aggregate capital
ization of the companies engaged in it was
500. 600 600, while the actual cost was
STA. 900 In conclusion he said he was
not an enemy of railroads; they had done
more ihap ali other agencies to develop the
resources % the continent, hut he would
require them to do equal and exact justice
To all Believing the bill would do so
without injury 10 any OF the legitimate
rights of tee railroads he should vote for il.
Mr.. Cullnm addressed The senate in favor
OF the conference report, conhning his re
marks principally to The fourth section rs
10 the long and short haul. This section,
he said. simply undertakes 10 lay down in
specific terms a rule or principle which, as
| have always Contended. is already in cf-
feet. contained IN other provisions of the
bill. The first requirement Of the bill on
the subject of rates is found in the first
section. and is. that all rates shall be ''rea-
sonablc and just" THE senator quoted
the fourth section in fulD As | under
stand it, this section rs it now
stands. simply prohibits u rail
road corporation from charging
greater aggregate sum. not high rate for
a shorter than for q longer distance over
the same line in the same direction and
under substantially similar circumstances
and conditions. when the shorter is lnclud-
cd within the longer distance There Is no
prohibition made in positive terms. / I'M
derstand this section as ii stands simply re
quires that each railroad company shall
observe the short haul principle rs to lis
own rates. and that the same principle
shall also be observed by a combination OF
roads as 10 the Joint through rates between
points upon their roads agreed upon by
such a combination.
Mr. George objected 70 the Interpretation
Of Mr. Cullom.
Mr. Stanford argued against the bill
He said that it tended not only 10 prevent
competition by railroads. bat it exhibited
tendency to foster water WAYS 10 the pre-
iudice of railroad interests. If The object
were TO enhance the water lines at the eX-
pense of the railroads. he did not Know
how a bill could he fromed 80 secure such
an object better than the pending bill. II
the railroad business was legitimate lhere
could be no justification for depTlvIng the
owners Of railroads of the control OF their
property.
After an executive session the senate ad-
jOurned.